Friday, November 16, 2012

Video: Let's Talk About It - Should A 'Man of God' Own a Private Jet?

I'll make it clear where I stand.

1. It is not okay.
2. It's just wrong.
3. It's mind boggling that in a country crippled with abject poverty, gifting a pastor with a private jet is seen as a wonderful gesture.
4. It's offensive insensitivity to the suffering of majority of the church's members (though they obviously may (and in fact would) disagree.
5. It's just plain greed! If it's not, he should give it back.
6. If there's that much money in the church's account, the church can build schools, hospitals, low cost houses for poor church members who have donated the offerings. THEY need the money. The Pastor gets a generous salary. He does not need the money.
7. AND he most certainly does not NEED a jet!

PS: Thanks to Prism for alerting me to the video. I think other concerned bloggers should post it on their blog. It's time we raised awareness about the obsession with religion in our country. There is faith and there is madness! Please learn to distinguish between the two. This madness must stop.

20 comments:

I completely agree with you. But you know how many Nigerians can be, they'll say that we should not talk 'bad' about any "man of God". kmt! But if it's a celebrity now, they'll begin to talk about how arrogant and horrible the person is. smh.

So true, Theodora. The holy man is revered and 'untouchable' (I thought that was meant to be God) and he's allowed to do anything and get away with everything. If we want Nigeria to improve for the betterment of the common man, a complete re-orientation of that obsessive religious mentality to a logical, moderate and sensible approach to things -(which really are commonsense) - is required.

P.S: I deactivated comments on the post for the reasons Theodora mentioned. I thought maybe it'll be best if I stated my thoughts and my thoughts only and not have to respond to those concerns about talking about a man of God or church.

I understand why you did it, Prism. Sometimes the energy required to respond to those concerns is just too much. But you know me na...the temptation to bite the apple of debate is too much for me to pass on. 'They' haven't arrived yet, but I promise to be civil. So help me, God. Lol.

My thoughts are the same, Myne.Tunde Bakare has responded, like Prism said. It would have been nice to see other sensible pastors come out to support him but I guess that would be asking for too much. After all, they are too busy tending to their 'flock' aka investment.

It would be interesting to hear what they have to say, yes. My guess is: some of them might not be too happy with 'Pastor Jet' and his church though...for giving wings to his faith (talk about faith flying over mountains - at least it ain't moving them this time - sorry there's more coming, Myne); exposing the rest of them in this way, jet interior on display and all its golden trimmings, etc. Perhaps they should start praying to Midas instead. I wonder how that pic got into the public domain btw. Possibly a disgruntled church member who finally 'saw the light?' Lol.

Please do. I love that man!BTW, T.Notes, your opinion is needed on my current post. I also would like to know your views on the male POV (as you be bloke na) on excerpt 7 of my WIP. Pls Click on the Sade and Michael link on my current post and read/comment if you can. Thanks.

My sister, I am of the opinion that for a man of God who lives in the Nigeria we know now to have a private jet is unconscionable. Haba! What is all the defence about urgent travels? Let them charter planes, then.

OK, let me even be more tolerant. Let me propose a business for the churches since everybody is claiming the need to travel urgently or with a more flexible itinerary. Maybe the church (the church o, not the MAN) can decide to start a plane charter business and encourage all the men of God and politicians (since these are the two categories we hear are buying jets left, right, and centre) to sell their private planes and charter the planes when they need it. But to go and park one plane in a hangar claiming it is yours in Nigeria? How do people sleep at night? In a place where I heard someone was recently burnt to death because he left the candle on and went to sleep (no electricity in a country with water that can turn turbines and sunlight for solar energy). But if the church will engage in this charter business, they better use the proceeds to do something good.

Anyway, all my concession talk concerning a charter plane business is itself a shameful reflection of our realities. But it is the best I can suggest to the school of thought of "They need private jets to get around quickly".

Bottom line is it is not good. My people will say, "what is not good is not good; let's not call it another name". Even if they give you a private jet, sell it. You can use some of the proceeds to totally transform the lives and future of many people. Those of you who have church schools and universities, endow the institutions with the money. Conduct an entrance exam for indigent students, take the best 100 or so and sponsor them to get at least a Bachelor's degree or Diploma in something. Set up a technical training outfits for those who are more inclined to hands-on employment. Build good hospitals (since our government is sleeping) and subsidize the costs of medical care. Set up food banks and feed the hungry. Start a farm, get unemployed people to work and pay them. Sell the produce to poor people at a reduced rate. I may sound idealistic but let people start and see if God won't bless these initiatives and not let them crash like many people will allege. After all, we are Christians and believe in God, aren't we?

I enjoyed your talk, sister. I would have gladly continued reading if it was three times more than what you wrote:D

Urgent travels indeed, don't mind them. Na war. They are the only busy human beings on the planet, abi? I wonder how they sleep at night too. The charter Plane idea is a great one. It would be better for the environment and the church would actually gain more revenue in profit from such a business rather than lose a huge chunk of their revenues to pastor kiss-assing. They would do so much with it in the community too. Why can't they think like this? And why oh why do the poor people in their congregation and the wider Nigerian public think it's okay for the pastor and his staff to abuse their position and exploit their 'faith'?

You've outlined many good ideas on what churches can do with that money. It is not idealistic, OS. It is workable. Very. And that's the truth. So much unemployment and poverty and the money can go a long way towards dealing with the problem. I feel your frustration and Me...I'm just tired of that sick ass Nigerian mentality that you must show 'you have arrived' - at all costs - and damn everybody else. The saddest thing is that the poor buy into that mentality too. And so there is no hope eradicating the attitude until people develop a social conscience and start to think differently. There is no social conscience in Nigeria.

Thank you so much for taking the time to come here to contribute to the debate, sister.

Blessings.....the more things change the more they stay the same. the discrepancies in wealth and privilege is as old as time and the growing disparties is no surprise because at the end of the day, whether it be man of the cloth or no most human beings are into self-gratification and will support anything and anyone that perpetuate that idiology, one only has to look at history to see today and tomorrow.

...whether it be man of the cloth or no most human beings are into self-gratification and will support anything and anyone that perpetuate that ideology, one only has to look at history to see today and tomorrow.

So true. And so, they should stop deceiving themselves that GOD blessed THEM with those riches. That's the bit that irks me so! Arrrgghhh.

I didnt eveven know you had blogged on the matter. Was trying to blog hop yester-morning and practically parked my car after reading the post. Was hopping mad. Did you even notice the reverence with which some of them pronounced 'man of God'? Even the naysayers said it with so much deference like someone was going to whip them for speaking.Church people and their leaders are now the bullies we have in our society.Hiss.I wish the govt will step in..like tax churches that buy jets etc..but rumor has it that Presido is a member of Pastor Oritse's congregation...so pigs might fly as I wait!

I hear you on reverence, Ginger. That is one of the currencies used on this pulpit of deceit. You know...the more I think of it, the more I'm convinced that the sheep in the congregation are the only ones to save themselves. If they are willing to protect such greed, it says something about their moral values too: From one deceiver to another. Who are we to judge one over the other...except that one has the power and status? There's no trumping that.

If that 'talk' is true, then pigs would fly before taxes move mountains, yes:D

Lara, can you imagine the billions lost from non-taxation. Nigerian Churches businesses and should definitely be taxed. At least the poor would benefit from that, all things being equal (if the politicians don't grab it first).

Failing taxation, the Nigerian government should consider making it a condition that churches submit public accounts and help develop their communities from the money they make. (i.e if any faith organisation makes over a certain amount of money in donations and offerings (the amount must be low so they would have no choice but to comply), they must do 'ABC'. The more you earn as a faith organisation, the more your responsibility to that community. The faith organisations should be graded in terms of income and and the modes of involvement in their community spelt out. There should be independent annual audits of these big churches and other faith organisations.

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